The Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Sterling Trophy Players of the Month for February 2024 were announced by the league office today with the following players being honored:  Forward of the Month - Jenna Buglioni (Ohio State), Defender of the Month - Lauren Bernard (Ohio State), Goaltender of the Month - Hailey MacLeod (Minnesota Duluth) and Rookie of the Month - Ava McNaughton (Wisconsin).

The nation’s premier NCAA Division I women’s hockey league, the WCHA currently has five teams ranked among college hockey’s top 10 teams including #1 Ohio State, #2 Wisconsin, #4 Minnesota, #8 Minnesota Duluth and #10 St. Cloud State.  The WCHA has won 20 national championships since the league formed in 1999.

Make plans now to attend the 2024 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff championship, which will take place at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on March 8-9.  The Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff caps the league’s postseason tournament with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA tournament.  All-session and single game ticket packages are now available for purchase at www.wcha.com/finalfaceoff 

 Sterling Trophy WCHA Forward of the Month:
Jenna Buglioni/Ohio State/Forward/Senior/Port Moody, B.C.
A senior forward from Port Moody, B.C., Jenna Buglioni led the Buckeyes with 13 points and seven goals in February.  She tallied her first career hat trick with three goals against Bemidji State (2/3), and tied her career high of four points in the game.  Buglioni finished the month with seven goals, six assists, 13 points and 24 shots on net. She had one power play goal, two shorthanded goals, one game winner, five blocks and was +15 on the plus/minus for the #1 ranked Buckeyes during the month.  OSU was 7-1-0 during the month and clinched the WCHA regular season championship for the second consecutive season on Feb. 17.

Other Players Nominated: Kirsten Simms, UW, Abbey Murphy, UM and Jamie Nelson, MSU
 

Sterling Trophy WCHA Defender of the Month:
Lauren Bernard/Ohio State/Defender/Senior/Madison, Ohio
Ohio State senior blueliner Lauren Bernard earned WCHA Player of the Month status in Februrary.  Bernard led the team with eight assists in February and finished the month with 11 points for the #1 ranked Buckeyes.  Over the month, Bernard scored three goals along with eighth assists and 11 points.  She had one shorthanded goal and posted a game winning goal in OSU’s win over Bemidji State on Feb. 3.  Bernard was +20 on the plus/minus and added eight blocked shots and 11 shots on goal to her stat sheet in February.  On defense, Ohio State outscored its opponents 38-10 during the month while posting a 7-1-0 record..

Other Players Nominated: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Jenessa Gazdik, MSU

Sterling Trophy WCHA Goaltender of the Month:
Hailey MacLeod/Minnesota Duluth/Goaltender/Sophomore/Abbotsford, B.C.

Minnesota Duluth’s Hailey MacLeod led the WCHA with a league-low .49 GAA and just two goals allowed in 106 shots faced. While MacLeod ranks third in the NCAA with a 1.12 GAA, she posted a .981 saves percentage (and continues to lead the NCAA with a .958). Undefeated in the month, she also posted two shutouts in four games for the #8 ranked Bulldogs.  MacLeod also earned WCHA Goaltender of the Month notice in November 2023.

Other Players Nominated: Raygan Kirk, OSU, Ava McNaughton, UW; Skylar Vetter, UM and Hailey Hansen, MSU. 

Sterling Trophy WCHA Rookie of the Month:
Ava McNaughton/Wisconsin/Goaltender/Freshman/Seven Fields, Pa.
Wisconsin’s Ava McNaughton had a perfect month in February, going 4-0-0, including three wins against ranked opponents while posting a .955 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average. McNaughton became only the second goalie this season to shutout the Golden Gophers and she also hold Ohio State to only two goals in a 4-2 win over No. 1 OSU to end the regular season. Her 1.00 goals-against average ranked fourth among league goalies while her .955 save percentage ranked fifth. Her two shutouts were also tied for the league lead during the month.  McNaughton also earned WCHA Rookie of the Month honors in October 2023.

Other Players Nominated: Joy Dunne, Ohio State; Éve Gascon, UMD; Ava Lindsay, UM; Hailey Hansen, MSU, Rylee Bartz, UST
 

WCHA PLAYERS OF THE MONTH

Sept. 2023: 
Forward - Lacey Eden, Wisconsin
Defender - Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin
Goalie - Raygan Kirk, Ohio State
Rookie - Cassie Hall, Wisconsin

Oct. 2023: 
Forward - Britta Curl, Wisconsin
Defender - Emma Peschel, Ohio State
Goalie - Sanni Ahola, SCSU
Rookie - Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin

Nov. 2023: 
Forward - Abbey Murphy, Minnesota
Defender - Hadley Hartmetz, Ohio State
Goalie - Hailey MacLeod, UMD
Rookie - Joy Dunne, Ohio State

Dec. 2023: 
Forward - Abbey Murphy, Minnesota
Defender - Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin|
Goalie - Sanni Ahola, St. Cloud State|
Rookie - Ava Lindsay, Minnesota

Jan. 2024: 
Forward -Casey O’Brien, Wisconsin
Defender - Hadley Hartmetz, Ohio State
Goalie - Raygan Kirk, Ohio State
Rookie - Cassie Hall, Wisconsin

Feb. 2024: 
Forward -Jenna Buglioni, Ohio State
Defender - Lauren Bernard, Ohio State
Goalie - Hailey MacLeod, Minnesota Duluth
Rookie - Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin